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Lapband has been great for me. I am about as healthy as anyone I know, on no medications. Had band 12/31/2006 with never any problems. I keep my band tight so my diet is restrictive which I need. I will be retiring end of May am 66 and plan on doing a lot of biking. For my retirement present I bought a really nice bike. I try and do at least 1 century every year (100 miles) and bike several thousand miles a year. I never would be able to do that without having this surgery and getting my health under control. For me it has worked great as a tool. I still work at being healthy every day. It is just a tool. Love my life. I like that it was less evasive than other surgeries. Everyone needs to decide on what works best for them.

I love my band I have been able to keep my weight off by being diligent and exercise. I bike a lot and during the winter do a lot of spin. No complications at all, keep it pretty tight but that is what I need to do to stay in control. A couple of times my weight started to creep up but I put the brakes on and go back to plan. Retiring in May bought a new road bike for my retirement and do a lot of gardening. Life is GREAT!

Mine was very expensive too. Took a loan on my 401. I figure if I was going to buy a new car I would spend that much money. Worked so hard to lose the weight deserve to enjoy the new me.

I am just over 6 weeks out from having a circumferential TT and just over 2 weeks out from having a mastoplasty (lift and augmentation) and brachioplasty. I only went 4 weeks between surgeries which I was able to do because I am so healthy. The second surgery with the arms was probably the most difficult because of swelling. I went back to work this week and glad that it is not a full week. I am amazed at how good it all looks. This was the finishing touches on the new me. My arms is probably the part that I disliked the most and was the most anxious to have done. No more bat wings. The circumferential took off 10 more lbs and no sagging skin. I can tuck in a shirt and not have any skin hanging over. Well worth it!!

Is there anything that the surgeon needs to know about the port for my lapband when I have my surgery? I have no idea how this will affect the surgery.

As you can tell by my picture I bike ride. I just turned 64 and plan on doing another Century this year plus several smaller women bike rides. I started with a comfort bike that had a larger seat then after I lost some of my weight and got more serious I got a road bike. The smaller the seat for road biking the better. I ride a specialized bike. I also bought a good spin bike so I bike all year. Last year I road about 1,500 miles outside and over that inside. Great exercise and very addictive. Good luck and hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

I don't post much but when I get on the site I only look up the people that I know are vets. I gained a little of my weight and had to get on track and remember why I spent all that money. It helps me to see how other vets are doing. Yes, we probably do things a little different after a few years and a lot of weight dropped, like riding 2,000 miles on my bike this year, riding a couple of centuries. I could not have even rode a bike around the block without being out of breath. Irrelevant? Maybe to some but to others it should let them know it is possible and gives them hope. I am going to be a great grandmother in February and want to live to see many more grandbabies. Lap band was the best thing I could have ever done. Changed my life for good.

I am so sorry, maybe keep trying just a mile or two at a time and see if it is just using different muscles. I am not an expert for sure. My two daughters are biking too and it took them a little while to get their bodies use to the biking. Hope you start feeling better, it is a great way to exercise. I had knee replacement a few years a go and was back out on my bike 3 months after. Good luck.

So sorry, that would be frustrating maybe check back with them and see if they have any suggestions. I love biking.

You might want to go into a bike shop that can do a bike fit. They can make sure the seat and handle bars are at the right place.

Did the Wonder Woman bike ride Saturday with my 2 daughters. 73 miles was a lot of fun especially being able to do it with my daughters. Eat GU, blocs, and stinger waffle crisps. I was able to still have enough energy to ride 30 miles yesterday. Still have 500 miles to bike to reach my goal of 2015 miles this year. I am a very goal driven person just hopes the weather holds out. On biking shorts the more padding the more they cost but well worth the money.

I use Gu gels a lot so that I can keep my band open for water and energy drinks. Also, if I am out a lot I have blocs that have salt in them. I sweat a lot and need the extra salt or I get leg cramps. WARNING: biking is addictive.

I bike a lot my favorite form of exercise. I have a more expensive bike but started with a comfort bike. My goal this year is to bike 2015 outside mikes plus I have an indoor bike. I bike indoors as much as outside. I just checked my oxygen level (grandbaby was in hospital) nurse was showing me how the heart rate and oxygen level monitor worked. She asked "do you exercise a lot" my hear rate was 57 and oxygen level was 100%. She was very impressed. Love biking and owe it all to lap band weight loss. Getting older but better is great.

Was banded Dec 2006 love the band. Only problems I have had are my own fault, like eating chocolate late at night and getting reflux because of it. Makes me aware of what and when I eat. Band has allowed me to be very active. So far this year I have biked over 1,000 miles and completed a 100 mile ride for charity. Resting heart rate is below 50 due to all the exercise. I know without the band reminding me of where I was I would still be there. So grateful for this tool to help me control my appetite.

As you can tell by my profile picture I like biking. I do a lot of indoor biking which is not bad on the knees. When I was heavy to lose weight I use to run and caused knee problems (I have had a knee replacement). Walking on the treadmill or eliptical is also a good place to start. I agree with JustWatchMe a trainer is good in giving advice.

I am a morning person and work full-time so I get up between 4:00 and 4:30 am to workout. I am into biking and planning on doing a Century again this year so it is biking, biking, and biking. I workout for at least 1 hr on my spin bike (I have about 20 different biking videos) and try to bike outside (weather permitting) at least 3 days a week. My goal this year is to bike 2015 miles outside. Doing 3 different sponsored bike rides with the Century in June. At work during lunch I try and walk 45 minutes exercise instead of eating. LOVE BIKING!! I use to run until I had to have a knee replacement grateful that I found biking.

I usually workout on an empty stomach. I did a 37 mile bike ride on Saturday (difficult ride with hills). I started the day with some caffeine and a Protein shake about 2 hrs before. I can't eat too solid food on the ride because I sweat so much and have to drink a lot. I have one bottle of Water and one of a 100 cal mixture in the other bottle had to refill one bottle. The ride took 2.5 hrs of solid riding. I also take some energy gel and shot bloks (for the sodium) this does not affect the band. I do a recover drink after the ride. During the week I workout for 1-2 hrs early morning on an empty stomach and feel great. If I workout with food in my stomach I can't drink enough and get an upset stomach. This is what works best for me. I am planning on doing a century in June plus a couple of shorter sponsored rides this summer. Even the century I don't eat too much and it us usually in gel or liquid form due to the need to drink so much water. My biggest thing is getting enough water and sodium.

I bike ride and am able to do a century. Last year my biggest concern was getting enough salt due to the way I sweat. Also, I use liquid calories such as additives to some of my Water and goo. I can't eat solid foods while riding because I need to drink enough water. It took me a couple of long rides to figure what works for me. I tried a low carb diet once did not work with the endurance sports but do not carb load either.

I enjoy your posts. I too am a morning person so I get up between 4 and 4:30 and go down to my basement where I have a spin bike. 1 - 2 hrs of exercise 6 days a week. When weather improves I bike outside and love it. At 62 (just about 63) feel healthier than ever. Planning on several bike rides one being a century this summer. Did start grazing so I am working on focusing on the band again and listening to it. It does work and has been the best decision for myself I have ever made. Life is good!

I am going to ride in an all women's bike ride with my 2 sisters and daughter. Little Red Riding Hood bike ride in Logan, Utah. 50 miles, just a fun ride. Week after on June 14 100 mile bike ride for Diabetics, my daughter is riding with me she has diabetics from her pregnancy, baby has internal birth defects that they think might be caused from it. Brigham City Utah.

I also love to bike ride (I turned 62 this year). I am planning on a Century this year so I have been training. I started bike riding after my surgery and it has been a lot of fun. I had to have a knee replacement in Dec 2012 which did not put me back much. I was out riding my bike 3 months after the knee replacement. I also agree with massindex, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate... I usually have one bottle of plain Water and one with electrolytes in it and plan on 1 bottle per hour. If very hot a usually double that. Also I use a lot of blocs and gu just because they go down easy and I can still keep up on my hydration. I can eat cliff bars and such but very slowly so that it doesn't get stuck and I can drink the Fluid. I did a 4 hour bike ride saturday in rain and wind. Still loved it but can't wait for better weather. I treat myself to a post ride of chocolate. That is my treat for the day. Watching closely right now what I eat because I still have more to lose and have not been as careful as I should. Even though I have more weight I think I am very healthy for someone my age. Have fun biking is a great exercise!!

Jim1967 I followed your link from Dr. Simpson, GREAT article. Thanks,

I enjoy this topic!!!! I had my band tightened and now am working on getting back to the basics. I started picking up bad habits by eating simple carbs. Bad idea and I know better. B-52 you made me remember how I use to eat and feel. I am focusing on that now and starting to lose the weight I gained back. This band is great. My sister had the bypass and tells me all the time she wished she had opted for the band. Thanks again B-52 for helping me remember what the band does and focusing on that.

B-52 Thank you for your posts, I have had my band since 2007 and have started gaining weight (my own fault). I am also 62 and very healthy, I ride my indoor bike and have a road bike with a plan on doing a century this year. What I appreciate is the reminder that I also had no appetite when my band was at the right tightness. I have an appointment today for another fill. Reading your post gave me motivation and hope to lose the remainder of my weight. Weight does affect my bike riding. Wish me luck and again thanks for your post. Having no appetite helps in the ability to make good and healthy food choices. When I am always hungary it is far more difficult. THANKS!!!

I had been leaning to vegetarian life style but since I had lap band 4 years ago I have pretty much gone all the way. I do eat small amounts of chicken if I make my family Chicken Noodle soup and some other soups just because I cook for my husband. I really like the vegie patties that Cosco has. It was not frozen but I divided up the patties and froze them. I get plenty of protein with my protein shake and my main other source of protein is beans. I also take a vitamin D and B12 suppliment in the morning. I find I can tolerate the vegetarian lifestyle better. I read a lot of Dr McDougals info that he has on his site and have his book. Any way you look at it losing weight can be tough.